About Aretha
Thurmond has been among the top, and most consistent, American throwers for the last 10 years. Thurmond has been on five World Championship teams and four Olympic teams; she also served as the team captain for the 2012 Olympic team. Thurmond returned to the top of the podium after having a child in spring of 2007, winning her fourth career national title and second Olympic Trials crown to make her third Olympic Team. In addition to winning her first U.S. discus title in 2003, Thurmond proved her dominance over other U.S. women’s discus throwers by posting nine of the top 11 throws by Americans that season. Not bad for someone who embarked on her track career on a lost bet. She had wanted to play softball in high school, but her physical education teacher wanted her to go out for track. They made a bet that if he could beat her in one-on-one basketball, she would give up softball. He won, and she kept her part of the bargain. She went on to win three state discus titles. Coach Ken Shannon says that Thurmond can be the first American to throw 70 meters (229-8). She says that after a breakthrough 1996 campaign put her on the Olympic team, she pressed too hard in 1997. She was a member of the Project 30 Task Force and is a current member of USATF's Board of Directors. Is an advocate for women’s fitness and health. Mother to son, Theo.